A US Air Force civilian contractor was killed when she walked into a drone’s rotating propeller at a California airfield — after losing “situational awareness” while glued to a data-recording device, officials say.
Stephanie Cosme, 32, was fatally injured when she “inadvertently” stumbled into the moving propeller of a parked MQ-9A Reaper drone at Gray Butte Airfield on Sept. 7, according to a new statement from Air Force Materiel Command summing up the findings of a report on the accident.
“Without looking up to determine her position relative to the aircraft, [Cosme] proceeded to walk directly into the propeller of the [aircraft] sustaining fatal injuries,” stated the final investigation report released Friday.
First, Cosme was incorrectly instructed or trained on how to take data readings when approaching a drone while its engine is running.
Second, “she lost situational awareness” while walking around the unmanned aircraft taking readings with a hand-held measurement device, the report stated.
Cosme, who was employed by the company Sumaria Systems, LLC, which provides test support services for the Air Force, took measurements with a power meter and then proceeded to walk toward the rear of the drone, “looking down at the testing device the whole time.
After the impact, the crew chief was heard yelling over the radio, “Kill, kill, kill kill!” before one of the workers was seen on the drone’s front camera running from right to left, presumably toward the Reaper’s kill switch.
Cosme was found bleeding from wounds to her head and left arm and was unresponsive but still breathing.
At a California airfield, a civilian contractor for the US Air Force lost “situational awareness” while glued to a data-recording device, which is how she ended up walking into a drone’s rotating propeller, killing her, according to officials.
When Stephanie Cosme, 32, “inadvertently” stumbled into the moving propeller of a parked MQ-9A Reaper drone at Gray Butte Airfield on September, she suffered fatal injuries. 7, as per a recent statement from Air Force Materiel Command that summarizes the accident report’s conclusions.
The final investigative report, which was made public on Friday, said that “[Cosme] proceeded to walk directly into the propeller of the [aircraft] sustaining fatal injuries, without looking up to determine her position relative to the aircraft.”.
President of the Accident Investigation Board Brig. Chief Gen. Lance French determined that the accident had two causes.
Initially, when Cosme approached a drone with its engine running, she was not properly taught or trained on how to take data readings.
Second, the report claimed that while walking around the unmanned aircraft and taking readings with a hand-held measurement device, “she lost situational awareness.”.
French identified two other elements that he claimed “substantially contributed to the mishap,” namely the fact that the tests carried out on September lacked clear communication between the ground support staff and the contractor test team. Seven were “rushed” due to earlier postponements.
After taking measurements with a power meter, Cosme—who worked for Sumaria Systems, LLC, a company that offers test support services to the Air Force—moved toward the back of the drone and kept his head down to observe the testing device.
Additionally, the report stated that she “looked to be pressing buttons, possibly to keep the backlight on,” indicating that she was intently watching the meter. “.
Coworkers tried “shouting and waving” to get Cosme’s attention as she approached the whirring propeller, but to no avail.
Following the collision, the crew chief could be heard screaming over the radio, “Kill, kill, kill kill!” Just before that, one of the workers could be seen sprinting from right to left on the front camera of the drone, probably in the direction of the Reaper’s kill switch.
Cosme was found unconscious but breathing, with cuts to her head and left arm still bleeding. She was transported to a hospital via helicopter, but she passed away a little more than an hour later.
Officials from the Air Force attempted to duplicate the accident’s sequence of events at the same spot, under the same stadium lighting as on September 9, with the Reaper drone’s engine operating at the same power settings in the same twilight atmosphere. 7.
After the reenactment, it was determined that Cosme could not have seen the propeller in motion and that she was probably not aware of anyone yelling warnings above the sound of the engine.
Palmdale, California’s Cosme. was called “a cherished daughter, sister, fiancé, mother, and friend” in her obituary, and she “touched the hearts of everyone she encountered with her warmth, kindness, and unwavering love.”. “.
The obituary went on, “She was known for her passion for all things strange and unusual, baking, crafts, and aviation.”.
Her fiancé, stepdaughter, parents, and two siblings all survived her.
